Discussion

Good NY-type Pastrami in South Bay/Peninsula????

As a transplanted New Yorker, I've found suitable stand-ins for most NY-type foods I miss especially Pizza (Giovanni's as well as Vito's in Sunnyvale!!). The one food I cannot find is New York-style deli! The best I've found is Saul's in Berkeley. But, living in Palo Alto, it is a long trip. Does anyone know of a place to get GOOD deli in the Peninsula or SOuth Bay? Max's is just OK, it is on a par with Brother's in Burlingame and The Jew and the Gentile in Mountain View. None of these is a very good substitute. The Stage Deli in Vegas (the one in Caesar's not New York, New York!) or Cantor's or Jerry's in LA are places I go to also. I would like something closer. Help!!!

Saul's, unfortunately, is the best in either San Francisco or the East Bay since Shenson's on Geary closed. If you find anything better in the South Bay/Peninsula, please post. I grew up in LA, and I haven't been to Cantor's in years, but I hear they have slipped. IMHO, Jerry's in LA is just a small cut above Max's. My favorites in LA are Langer's on or near Albarado and Label's table on Pico. See the attached link for a discussion of Pastrami in LA.

Hey JB, been to House of Bagels lately? I was passing through San Rafael today and stopped to pick up a corn beef/tongue combo. They put MAYO on my sandwich and the crust of the corn rye didn't have the same distinctive crackly-crunch. The corn beef was too dry, but the beef tongue was wonderfully unctuous. Cole slaw was tired, pickle was good. Is it just me or have they lost a step?

I'll be waiting for your report. Had a pastrami sandwich at Saul's a few weeks ago and was disappointed. It wasn't sliced thin enough and was much too chewy/stringy. Pastrami should have that buttery texture, no matter how high it's stacked, you should be able to bite through the whole mass in one unctuous mouthful.

I just don't think it's possible to get such an animal in the Bay Area.

I have a friend who lives in Burbank and whenever he comes up to the Bay Area (a few times a year), he generally brings me a care package from Billy's (kosher style deli in Glendale): a 1/2 loaf of light rye and a 1/2 pound each of pastrami and corned beef. He did this when we went to PacBell Park last July (he's a hard core Dodgers fan, his only fault...) and we made sandwiches at my place before heading up to the ballpark. A little slice of heaven (especially since the Giants won in the bottom of the 9th!)